Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Heerlen

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $2,255 in Heerlen, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Heerlen
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,255
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Heerlen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Heerlen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,548 in Mexico City versus $2,255 in Heerlen.

  • Mexico City $1,548
  • Heerlen $2,255

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Mexico City versus $3,463 in Heerlen.

  • Mexico City $2,436
  • Heerlen $3,463

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,323 in Mexico City versus $4,672 in Heerlen.

  • Mexico City $3,323
  • Heerlen $4,672

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 31% less than in Heerlen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 14% above, Heerlen 66% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Heerlen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.02 MX$204
$23.76 €21.13
-53.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.68 MX$900
$97.9 €87.0
-50.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.90 MX$201
$19.01 €16.90
-42.66%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.1
$4.09 €3.64
-10.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 MX$30.18
$3.24 €2.88
-49.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 MX$23.07
$2.29 €2.03
-45.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 MX$60.1
$6.09 €5.42
-46.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53 MX$102
$5.59 €4.97
-1.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Heerlen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$31.50
$1.33 €1.19
27.82%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$2.41 €2.15
25.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.53
$2.54 €2.26
-24.41%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$50.5
$4.47 €3.97
-38.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.77 MX$218
$11.73 €10.43
0.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 MX$176
$14.00 €12.45
-31.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.41 MX$266
$17.89 €15.91
-19.45%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$2.28 €2.03
32.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.01
$2.51 €2.23
-24.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.70
$2.11 €1.88
-5.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$40.38
$4.32 €3.84
-49.31%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.43
$1.85 €1.65
3.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 MX$34.49
$2.09 €1.86
-10.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 MX$26.62
$1.39 €1.24
3.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.39
$0.83 €0.74
53.01%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 MX$96.4
$13.87 €12.34
-62.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.17 MX$299
$7.20 €6.41
124.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 MX$35.03
$1.41 €1.26
34.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 MX$78.0
$2.66 €2.37
58.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Heerlen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$6.30
$3.60 €3.20
-90.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.65 MX$363
$59.8 €53.2
-67.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 MX$36.90
$6.27 €5.58
-68.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 MX$9.67
$1.69 €1.50
-69.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.34 MX$98.7
$22.38 €19.91
-76.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$28.13
$2.46 €2.19
-38.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K MX$408.0K
$29.7K €26.4K
-25.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$452.9K
$35.0K €31.1K
-29.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Heerlen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.1 MX$1,129
$191 €170
-68.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.58 MX$528
$26.36 €23.45
8.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.47 MX$637
$56.0 €49.78
-38.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Heerlen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,042
$35.46 €31.54
58.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.88 MX$460
$27.63 €24.58
-9.95%
Cinema Ticket
$6.66 MX$123
$13.40 €11.92
-50.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Heerlen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$427 MX$7,891
$671 €597
-36.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K MX$215.0K
$5,507 €4,898
111.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Heerlen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8 MX$1,253
$99.6 €88.6
-31.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.0 MX$960
$49.56 €44.08
4.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 MX$1,959
$101 €90.1
4.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 MX$2,080
$193 €172
-41.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Heerlen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,025 MX$18.9K
$1,120 €996
-8.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$654 MX$12.1K
$938 €834
-30.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,308 MX$42.7K
$1,913 €1,701
20.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,242 MX$22.9K
$1,587 €1,411
-21.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,613 MX$66.8K
$3,938 €3,502
-8.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,936 MX$35.8K
$2,810 €2,500
-31.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Heerlen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$964 MX$17.8K
$2,947 €2,622
-67.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
4.35
159.77%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Heerlen: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$654
Heerlen
$938 43.4% $284
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$318
Heerlen
$333 4.6% $15
Eating Out
Mexico City
$204
Heerlen
$360 76.6% $156
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$152
Heerlen
$200 31.1% $47
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$124
Heerlen
$274 121% $150
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$70
Heerlen
$62 10.7% $7.4
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Heerlen
$89 247% $63

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,025 in Mexico City and $1,120 in Heerlen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Heerlen pays 206% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $98.0 in Heerlen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $333 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇳🇱 Heerlen
🕒 Local time
16:38 4:38 PM
00:38 12:38 AM
8 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
87,086
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Heerlen 9,350 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Heerlen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Mexico City vs Heerlen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mexico City or Heerlen?
Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Heerlen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Mexico City or in Heerlen?
On paper, salaries run 206% lower in Heerlen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Mexico City compared to Heerlen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,025 in Mexico City versus $1,120 in Heerlen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Mexico City compared to Heerlen?
A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 204% less than in Heerlen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Mexico City and in Heerlen?
Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $671 in Heerlen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Mexico City or in Heerlen?
At $1,548 in Mexico City versus $2,255 in Heerlen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Heerlen. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mexico City or Heerlen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,548 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.
How safe is Mexico City compared to Heerlen?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Heerlen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Heerlen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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